The Two Soldiers - Summary

 THE TWO SOLDIERS

Guy de Maupassant

Following Summary is compiled version of summaries collected from different sources including text book (NEB Grade XI). Please copy accordingly.

In mid Victorian literature there is not too much mention of sex in an American story. In America sex was a taboo subject. The writers who approached it so did very cautiously. This wasn't true during the same years in France. Love making was was considered undeniable fact of life and was treated as such in French literature.

The story The Two Little Soldiers was written by Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893). He was a French writer, who has written some 300 short stories, six novels, three travel books, and one volume of verse. Maupassant wrote short stories like The Necklace and Bel Amim, but he also wrote poetry and novels. He was an author of the naturalistic school. This story is a bizarre triangular love story which has a completely unexpected result at the end. This story has presented various flaws of triangular love relationships. 

The setting of the story takes place in Courbevoie, a town in the countryside of France. Although there is no fighting in the story, there is war going on. Two French Soldiers, Luc Le Ganidec and Jean Kerderen are two soldiers who habitually spend their free time on Sundays away from the barracks, out in the countryside. Their day off has taken on the character of a ritual. Every Sunday, they bring food for breakfast to the same spot in the woods and lie back to enjoy the food, wine, and sights of an area that reminds them of home.

Eventually, their habitual comes to include a bit of innocent ogling (eyeing) of a young village girl who brings her cow out to pasture (meadow) every week at the same time. Unfortunately, both the soldiers fall in love with the milkmaid. But Luc starts to see her more in private and Jean ends up killing himself from being heart broken, because his friend went behind his back. 

Guy de Maupassant is known for his very realistic style of writing. In most of his stories there is a war going on because of the time de Maupassant spent in the army. There is also a character in love because of de Maupassant's love for women. Homesickness; when soldiers are away from home for so long, they are going to feel home sick. 

One Sunday, however, the girl speaks to them on her way to the pasture, and when she returns later, she shares the cow’s milk with them and leaves them with a promise to meet the following Sunday.

The next weekend, Jean suggests that they bring something for her. They settle on candy as an appropriate present, but when the girl arrives, both are too shy to tell her that they have brought something. Finally, Luc tells the girl of the treat, and Jean, who always carries the provisions, give the bonbons to her.

 

As the weeks pass, the girl becomes the topic of conversation for these soldiers as they spend time at the barracks, and the three become fast friends. The girl begins to share their Sunday breakfast meal and appears to devote equal attention to the two recruits.

Then, in an uncharacteristic move, Luc seeks leave on a Tuesday, and again the following Thursday. He borrows money from Jean on that day but offers no explanation for his behaviour. Jean lends the money.

The following Sunday, when the girl appears with the cow, she immediately rushes up to Luc and they embrace ardently. Jean is hurt because he is left out and does not understand why the girl has suddenly turned all of her attention to Luc. Luc and the girl go off to care for the cow and disappear into the woods for a long time. Jean is stupefied. When they return, the lovers kiss again, and the girl offers Jean a kind “Good evening” before going away.

Neither soldier speaks of the incident, but as they return to their barracks they stop momentarily on the bridge over the Seine. Jean leans over toward the water, farther than he should in Luc’s judgment, then suddenly tumbles into the torrent. Luc can do nothing; he watches in anguish as his good friend drowns.